Refrigerator



J. NEMEC v HEFRIGERATOR Dec. 24, 1940.

Filed Jan. 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 24, 1940. NEMEC 2,225,924

REFRIGERATOR Filed Jan. 27, 193s 2 sheets-sheet 2 30@ Q40/ /I/ i) Q 9 /0 5 fz f5 9 75 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR Joseph Nemec, Western Springs, Ill.

Application January 27, 1938, Serial No. 187,130

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a refrigerator.

In the use of refrigerators or ice boxes there has heretofore occurred what is known as sweating. This sweating arises through differences in temperatures upon opposite sides of walls or partitions, or from improper circulation of air or improper insulation.

The sweating that occurs in a refrigerator is generally objectional with respect to the food products contained therein. Vegetables and fruits especially are subject to sweating that is objectionable.

It is an object of this invention to eliminate sweating in a refrigerator or ice box and to provide means for conveying odors and hot air from the refrigerator through a circulating channel or passage.

It is a further object of this invention to circulate the air through the food compartments in a lateral direction, preventing the air from rising or circulating in a vertical direction through the different food compartments, and providing for the circulation of air around the food compartment adjacent the interior wall of the ice box for maintaining the wall dry.

The invention consists in certain improvements with respect to the refrigerator shown in my Patent No. 1,518,542, as will later more fully appear. l

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate apreferred form of' this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

Fig. 1 is a Vertical, broken and sectional view through a refrigerator involving this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the refrigerator taken substantially upon the line Il-II of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior cf the refrigerator with parts shown in section.

As an exemplication of this invention there is shown in the drawings a refrigerator or ice boxV which consists of a casing comprising four corner posts l between which are slabs of cork 2 or the like. In the front Wall of the casing there is a door 3 that affords admittance to the food compartments 4 and a gate 5 for the admission of ice to the refrigerant or ice compartment t. A metal casing 1 may be placed around the exterior of the walls of the ice box to protect the same and more effectively exclude air from filtering through the walls.

The door 3 is made of longitudinally spaced vertical members 8 and 9 adjacent the outer and inner sides of the door. The spaces lil between the members serve as expansion joints or spaces to take up any swelling of the door thatmight occur. Centrally of the door and between the members 8 and the members 9 are longitudinally extending boards Il that may be vertically spaced just as the other members if desired.

The outer and inner surfaces of the door are properly insulated by means of any suitable insulating material such as tar paper I2 or the like. The part of the door thus far described is provided with a metal casing I3 around its periphery. This casing i3 is formed with outwardly opening channels It in which solid rubber strips I5 are secured for weather proong purposes. The outer surfaces of the strips i5 are preferably beveled in accordance with the usual beveled edges I6 of the door way.

The interior of the refrigerator is lined by suitable insulating members 1 and i8 which are positioned against the inner surfaces of the members 2 and the posts l which are suitably rabbeted for such a purpose as indicated at IQ. A sheet metal member 25J extends over the rear insulation I8 and over the end and top and bottom insulation and over members l1 and through the doorway where it merges with the casing 1 through welding or the like.

Against the rear wall of the refrigerator and at a suitable distance downwardly from the top thereof, there is secured an angle member 2l. A cooperating angle member 22 is secured to the ends of the refrigerator in spaced relation to the front wall. Channel bars 23 are secured to the angle members 2| and 22 and extend parallel therewith for supporting rack bars 23a. upon which the ice or refrigerant is adapted to rest. A sheet metal plate 24 is attached to the upstanding flange of the angle 22 for forming an air circulating passage 25 to which reference will later be made.

Below the refrigerant compartment suitable inclined metal channel bars 26 or the like are secured to the interior end Walls of the ice box. Only one of these strips 26 is shown, but it will be understood that both are similar. Upon the top. and bottom of these channels are secured partition plates 21 and 28. The upper plate 21 is welded or riveted to the top flanges of the channel bars while the lower plate rests upon and is secured to the lower flanges. The lower edge of the plate 21 is formed with a pendant flange 21a to define an air passage with the adjacent wall. The plate 28 terminates at its upper end in an upwardly directed ange 28a.` that tends to guide the upward current of air past the passage between the partition plates. A sheet of insulation 29 is secured against the under surface of the plate 2T to prevent the same from sweating so that moisture will not tend to accumulate in the air compartment between the insulation and plate 28. The use of the metal channels 26 instead of wood or the like makes it possible to secure the plate 2'| to a flange and prevents the absorption and transmission of moisture which would result if wood were used and the plates bolted thereto.

Below the partition members 21 and 28 there is a shelving structure for sustaining the commodities carried by the refrigerator. This shelving structure is sustained by a pair of angle members 30 secured to each end wall of the refrigerator in spaced relation. The outstanding anges 30a, of these angle members 30 are provided with slots 3| for receiving the horizontal flanges 32 of angle member 33. The angle members 33 are so arranged that one flange 33a thereof extends: upwardly while the other ange 32 extends horizontally into the slots. It will be noted that the ends of the horizontal flange 32 extend a short distance beyond the flanges 33a for engaging in the slots 3| by a lateral movement. For this reason the slots 3| open inwardly of the refrigerafor as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The anges 33a are designed to t snugly between the flanges 30a of the angles 30. i

The flanges 32 form supports for imperforate shelves 34 that rest thereon for supporting the foods or commodities which are designed to be carried by the refrigerator. These shelves 34 are preferably in the form of pans in that they have peripheral upstanding anges to prevent spilling from one food compartment to a lower food compartment. It will be noted that the slots 3| occur at regular intervals so that the angle supports 33 can be vertically adjusted as desired to vary the distance between two shelves and for varying the size of the food holding compartments.

Spaced a suitable distance from the rear wall of the refrigerator and adjacent the shelving structure there is a plate 35 that extends from end to end of the ice box as shown in Fig. 2. The upper portion of the plate 35 is located within the pendant flange 21a on plate 21 and is deflected inwardly from the flange 21a and suitably spaced below the partition plate 28 to guard against dripping from the ice compartment in the event that ice is used.

The plate 35 terminates at its lower end in an outwardly offset portion 35h adjacent the second food holding compartment for more readily admitting cold air to such compartment and the one thereabove.

A second plate 36 below the plate 35 and in substantial alinement therewith extends also from end to end of the ice box and cooperates with the plate 35 in defining a cold air passage 3`| ex tending between said plates and the rear wall of the refrigerator. The upper end of the plate 36 is located within the offset portion 35h of plate 35 but sulliciently spaced therefrom to provide a cold air ingress passage to the second food holding compartment. The lower end of the plate 36 is deflected outwardly as indicated at 36h a suitable distance from the bottom of the refrigerator. The plates 35 and 3S may be secured to the ends of the refrigerator in any suitable manner.

In the bottom of the refrigerator there is an inclined plate 38 that inclines upwardly toward the rear wall where it is formed with a curved portion 38a adjacent the deflected end 36h of the plate 36 for receiving the drippings shed from flange 36h. A drain pipe 39 extends through the lower end of plate 38 and through the bottom of the refrigerator for conveying any dripping from the refrigerant compartment that might descend through the channel or passage 37 in the event that ice is the refrigerant. The curved portion 38a of plate 38 will accelerate the movement of such drippings and guide the cold air below the lower food holding compartments.

In order to vent the odors and hot air from the refrigerator which travel upwardly in the passages 39a and 25 along the front wall of the refrigerator, a vent 49 has been provided in the upper corner of the front wall of the refrigerator. This vent 49 slopes upwardly and is located in the corner to prevent air currents from merely passing it.

The ice or refrigerant inlet gate 6 is shown with a rubber weather proofing gasket I5 around the edges to more effectively exclude the weather from the refrigerator.

As cold air descends and hot air rises, there will be a circulation of air in the refrigerator. From the refrigerant compartment the cold air descends in the passage 31 from which part of the air will pass laterally between the shelves 34 and into the commodity holding compartments and emerge upon the opposite sides and rise in passage 39a to the refrigerating compartment where part of the air and odors will escape through the vent passage 40 over which there extends a deector 4|.

It will be noted with reference to Fig. 2, that the shelving of the food compartments is also spaced from the end walls of the refrigerator as well as from the side walls so that there will be upward currents of air adjacent the front and end walls of the refrigerator that will maintain the walls dry.

Due to the fact that the shelves 34 are imperforate and in the form of pans, there can be no dripping from one food compartment to the lower one, and only the descending cold air can pass through the food compartments, a feature which will provide more efficient refrigeration.

'I'he partition members 21 and 28 together with the insulation 29 provide an insulated air space between the ice or refrigerant compartment and the food compartment so that sweating is avoided and no drippings from the refrigerant compartment can pass through the food compartments.

While the drawings show an ice box, it will be understood that it is merely illustration and that any suitable refrigerating medium or means may be used to provide the proper refrigeration.

It is characteristic of this invention that there is a circulation of air upon all sides of the food compartments and no still air exists. This will eliminate sweating and frosting so that the ice box is always dry. Fruits and vegetables have been transported therein for several thousand miles without the least indication of sweating. For this reason the invention has been adopted by some of the leading transportation systems in the country. Further, by placing the odor vent 4l! in the upper corner of the ice box, it will be appreciated that the odors and a certain amount of hot air will escape.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departingfrom the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a refrigerator, comprising a refrigerant compartment and food holding compartments below said refrigerant compartment, apair of spaced plates between said refrigerant compartment and said food holding compartments, one of said plates having insulation upon its surface, a sheet metal wall spaced from the rear wall of said refrigerator for defining a cold air conducting channel over the adjacent rear wall surface from said refrigerant compartment, said food compartments being separated by imperforate shelves, and said sheet metal wall having openings for the passage of air laterally through each food holding cornpartment, there being a passage between the walls of said refrigerator and the front and sides of said food holding compartments for the upward passage of air, whereby the refrigerator walls are maintained dry.

2. In a refrigerator having a refrigerant compartment and food holding compartments below the refrigerant compartment; a sheet metal wall spaced from one wall of the refrigerator defining a channel for conducting cold air downwardly from the refrigerant compartment and over the adjacent surface of said refrigerator wall, imperforate shelves separating the food compartments and having their peripheral edges inwardly spaced from the other walls of the refrigerator and said sheet metal wall for enabling upward flow of air entirely around the food compartments between said food compartments and said walls, said sheet metal wall having openings for the passage of air from said channel laterally through each food compartment, and means above the uppermost food compartment insulated relative to said refrigerant compartment for guiding warm air from around *the food compartments into an entrance passageway to the refrigerant compartment, said entrance passageway being disposed adjacent the upper portion of one of said other refrigerator walls.

3. In a refrigerator having a refrigerant compartment and food holding compartments below the refrigerant compartment; a sheet metal wall spaced from the rear wall of the refrigerator defining a channel for conducting cold air downwardly from the refrigerant compartment and over the adjacent surface of said rear wall, imperforate shelves separating the food compartments and having their peripheral edges inwardly spaced from the front and side walls of the refrigerator and said sheet metal wall for enabling upward flow of air entirely around the food compartments between said food compartments and said walls, said sheet metal wall having openings for the passage of air from said channel laterally through each food compartment, and means above the uppermost food compartment insulated relative to said refrigerant compartment for guiding warm air from around the food compartments into an entrance passageway to the refrigerant compartment, said entrance passageway being disposed adjacent the upper portion of the front wall of the refrigerator.

4. In a refrigerator having a refrigerant compartment and food holding compartments below the refrigerant compartment; a sheet metal wall spaced from one wall of the refrigerator defining a channel for conducting cold air downwardly from the refrigerant compartment and over the adjacent surface of said refrigerator wall, imperforate shelves separating the food compartments and having their peripheral edges inwardly spaced from the other walls of the refrigerator and said sheet metal wall for enabling upward flow of air around the food compartments between said food compartments and said walls, said sheet metal wall having openings for the passage of air from said'channel laterally through each food compartment, and means above the uppermost food compartment defining a second channel insulated relative to said refrigerant compartment, the exterior of said means acting to guide warm air from around the food compartments into an entrance passageway to the refrigerant compartment, and the interior of said second channel having its ends respectively communicating with said entrance passageway and said first channel.

5. In a refrigerator having a refrigerant compartment and food holding compartments below the refrigerant compartment; a sheet metal wall spaced from one wall of the refrigerator defining a channel for conducting cold air downwardly from the refrigerant compartment and over the adjacent surface of seid refrigerator wall, imperforate shelves separating the food compartments and having their peripheral edges inwardly spaced from the other walls of the refrigerator and said sheet metal wall for enabling upward flow of air entirely around the food compartments between said food compartments and said walls, said sheet metal wall having openings for the passage of air from said channel laterally through each food compartment, and means above the uppermost food compartment defining a second channel insulated relative to said refrigerant compartment and sloping downwardly towards said sheet metal wall, the exterior of said means acting to guide warm air from around the food compartments into an entrance passageway to the refrigerant compartment, and the interior of said second channel having its ends respectively communicating with said entrance passageway and said first channel at different levels.

6. In a refrigerator having a refrigerant compartment and food holding compartments below the refrigerant compartment; a sheet metal wall spaced from one wall of the refrigerator defining a channel for conducting cold air downwardly from the refrigerant compartment and over the adjacent surface of said refrigerator wall, imperforate shelves separating the food compartments and having their peripheral edges inwardly spaced from the other walls of the refrigerator and said sheet metal wall for enabling upward fiow of air entirely around the food compartments between said food compartments and said walls, said sheet metal wall having openings for the passage of air from said channel laterally through each food compartment, means above the uppermost food compartment defining a second channel insulated relative to said refrigerant compartment, the exterior of said means acting to guide warm air from around the food compartments into an entrance passageway of the refrigerant compartment, and the interior of said second channel having its ends respectively communicating with said entrance passageway and said first channel, and oppositely extending defiecting elements respectively disposed at the ends of said second channel.

JOSEPH NEMEC.

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